


Fought For Me

by BlackLotus2002



Series: A Family Matter [5]
Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Brother-Sister Relationships, Child Neglect, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Family Feels, Father-Daughter Relationship, Hurt No Comfort, Injured Juliet Higgins, Past Character Death, This is going to get worse before it gets better, but it will get better, but not in this one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:13:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28143663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackLotus2002/pseuds/BlackLotus2002
Summary: Jonathan is back in town. Another piece of Juliet's past is revealed.Thomas goes in a warpath against Albert Higgins.
Relationships: Juliet Higgins & Everyone, Juliet Higgins/Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV
Series: A Family Matter [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037034
Comments: 8
Kudos: 45





	1. You Don't Know What I Became When You Walked Out

**Author's Note:**

> I want to thank all of you for your time and dedication to my crazy ramblings. Also for bearing with my bilingual brain and shitty grammar, I'm not a native speaker so it's still tricky. So thanks.

The fact he was sitting alone in the bar of a hotel in the middle the paradise that was Hawaii was sombre. He had a wife and three beautiful children waiting in London. It made the idea of solitude, while a blonde across gave him nauseating, depressing. In honesty, though, he did earns it; the emptiness and solitude. He should be fixing a gargantuan mistake, which cost him one of the greatest love of his life. Jonathan sighed overcome. His life was somewhat ruined already, there was no need to make another kind of mistake. Like falling into bed with a flossy blonde. He was, indeed, too much his father’s son; that was what put him in his current predicament in the first place.

“Bartender, please,” the boy, no more than twenty-five, gave him a quick look, “take this away. Bring me a club soda.”

The chap regaled him an odd look, but Jonathan chooses to downright ignore him and keep wallowing. By his side, the blonde’s attention strayed to a younger and better candidate than his pissed arse. The bloke was Hispanic, suave and, indeed, better-looking. He wearing Bermuda shorts, awful red Hawaiian shirt and sandals. A world away from his bespoke Armani three pieces and Ferragamo shoes. The bloke smiled at the bar boy, greeting by name; the chap gave him a bright smile, asking for his: —blonde beauty. ‘Magnum’, the bloke in sandals, replied with a miserable: —Not tonight.—

Jonathan snorted, his blonde hair falling disorganised in his face; as it fell in hers. He tried to blow it away with a puff of air; she always did it that way. But it only made him want to have her there for her to tame the rebellious curl they share. He missed her.

“Everything okay over there, pal?” The bloke’s voice was not deep but had a timbre that was better and more expressive than his unemotional tone.

“Jolly good.”

The bloke, —Magnum—, groaned, exasperation. “If I had a dollar for every ‘jolly good’ a Brit says with distress written in their faces,” grumbled gulping beer. “I wouldn't be so broke.”

“Know a lot of Brit lads?”

“I know one, and that’s more than enough.” Grunted.

“Your girl?” Prodded while attacking his napkin. The club soda forgot aside.

His eyes widened, shocking his head fervent. “God, don’t say that out loud, ever; she might have an aneurysm from hearing such. No,” the bloke, Magnum, was now staring at his watch, a rather nice wristwatch. “My partner, business partner and… she’s one of my best friends.”

“Sounds easy then.” Brooded, he wished for something easy.

‘Ha!’ Magnum all but barked a sour laugh. “She’s all but. She severed our partnership a week ago. I thought she was happy,” his eyebrows shoot up and then down while chugging another gulp of his beer. “But I guess not so much.”

“Women are never easy, mate. I have three sisters, my wife and two daughters.” Agonised over the idea. “Vast experience.”

“Which one has you on the pity party? Wife? Or a lover?” He glanced at Blondie Mc Blondie. Now stern.

Jonathan guffaw, “Christ, no. Affairs already brought enough problems and pain in my family; it’s not worthy. I love my wife.”

“Which one then?”

“My baby sister, well, the second youngest; she— Well, I hurt her and… I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me. She’s stubborn.” «Stubborn,» pondered grievous, «try that again.»

Juliet Higgins was angry, and he knew it, who wouldn’t? In her situation, Jonathan would've wrecked everything; she was much gracious and smart. Much more than he or any of their siblings. He thought of Conrad, he was book-smart, like Juliet, but lacked her wit and resourcefulness. She was a better heir, she has so much of their father’s mind and wits and lacked his cruelty and a god complex. But her conception was a mistake, or so they said. She was paying for mistakes that weren’t hers. He wasn’t sure if the mistakes were her mother’s either. They were their father's, he was the one who lied and deceived Elizabeth.

“At least you ask for it? Trial and error, it’s my motto.” Rasped gloomy. “My partner calls it ‘wing it’” He quoted with a horrific, English accent.

“I didn’t, I went on… Dug deeper in the wound.”

He, indeed, dug deeper. Before she walked, called her a self-centred child, narrow-minded and idiotic little girl. Then, when their grandfather died, he reached a new low. Stabbed her in the back and lied to her about their grandpa's last moments, told her she had killed him. Then proceed to forbid the contact between her and his wife and children. When he read the letter their grandfather left, major trust violation; almost retches. She had tried to put a bullet in her head. He doesn’t know what stopped her, or who, but he thanks heavens above for it. He would have gone right behind her if she ever had followed through with her plans.

“You have some serious ass-licking to do, women can be vicious.” «Indeed.» The bloke look at him, and, for second stared. “You seem familiar.”

«Is it the face?» Asked to himself, «or the hair?»

“I’m Jonathan, pleasure.” Extended his hand, he received it with a firm shake. «A fine bloke, then» like his grandfather always said, ‘A firm handshake makes a fine man.’

He always wanted a fine man for her baby, (not so baby), sister.

“Thomas.”

* * *

He was back and wanted to talk to her. Juliet indulged.

“Are you armed?” She didn’t recognize him. She knew every man in her father’s protective detail, and this poor version of G.I Joe was… poor.

“No.” He looked at her once over. “Touch me and I rip your bollocks.”

“Let her through,” her father called from the terrace, “she’s more than capable of following through with it.”

He seated clad in a white guayabera shirt and white Bermuda shorts, Panama hat resting in the table.

“This is a surprise indeed. Never pegged you for a man with a death wish.” Nothing like concealed threats to start the day.

“You are angry.”

A bark of laughter escaped her, the rising heat in her chest was close to her head. “Angry won’t begin to cover.” She bites back with clenched teeth. “Give me a reason not to walk out of here and let you bugger off.”

“Teuila Tuileta, a lovely woman if you ask me, passionate about her work and this piece of rock.” Death silence from Juliet, the heat went cold with dread. “Orville Wright, Theodore Calvin; good lasses, met them in that little joint, La Mariana is it? Oh, and Shammy Shamberg, heard he was in for an experimental treatment for his paralysis.” He was taunting her, daring her. “The governor was kind enough to introduce me to Hawaii's finest; Gordon Katsumoto, a man of few words.” His eyes wandered off, towards the view of sand and ocean. “I see why you like it here.” Her entrails were free-falling in her body, her brain was screaming for her to run, but she was screw to her chair. “What I don’t get is how Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV fits in it. The man is a vagrant living out of Robin Master’s good grace. The man you partnered with as if he was your equal.”

An involuntary smile crossed her face. “He is my equal, father. He is a hero of his country, a man with many flaws. I am the first to point them out, even so, he is thousandfold the man you will never be.”

“You are not to compare me, or yourself, with him; you are my daughter, you must remember your station, Lady Higgins.” «Well,» mussed bitter, «it’s not a Higgins family reunion without a menace.»

“Threaten them again, and I’ll make my life mission make yours a living hell, father.” Returned affable.

“You have an infatuation with this man.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Thomas Magnum is my best friend, father.” Stated, her heart pounding in her throat. “The first real, close friend I had since you entered my life.”

“How can this man be such a good friend if he doesn’t know who you are?” That was what he did every time, took everything good in her life and reaped it to shreds until there was nothing.

“And who am I, father?” His eyes bored into her, and it was blue on blue.

“Double major in Mathematics and Computer Science. You are a Primi ordinis graduate and a doctor. Again, Juliet, does your best friend knows you as much as you claim he does? You’re the heir of an empire, but choose to live a half-life.”

“Have you ever heard of something called privacy? A little something every single, somewhat respectable country, offer to their citizens.” He rolled his eyes at the sass. “I don’t care about your empire.”

“Talk to your brother, and I’ll let you keep your little clique of misfits.” Her fist clenched in the armchair. Sure, she was staring daggers at him. “Cross me, and they pay your every transgression.”

“You don’t scare me, father. I don’t have to fulfil your every caprice.”

“He’s your brother and he loves you, is my duty as a father to make sure all my children are happy.” Juliet’s blood reignited; from fear to rage in a second. “He’s been miserable since you left.”

“Of course,” derided. “You must guarantee your legitimate children's happiness, above that of your lesser daughter." Juliet scoffed. "Father of the year.”

“You are my child as much as is Jonathan, Julie.” «Julie» he only called her that once before, she was dying of pneumonia after a cruel prank.

It was a knee-jerk response to his soft voice, to the endearment. Her chair scraped against the floor making jarring noise. The table flew rattling the railing; adding to the ruction caused by the chair. She went against him, and grabbing his ironed shirt, pulled him out of his seat. “You are one sick, lying bastard; Albert Higgins.” Spat with as much hatred she could muster.

The security went for their guns, but his hand went up, ‘stop,’ it conveys.

“Go on,” she teased, “let them shoot me, you’ll get rid of your greatest mistake.” He hanging in her grip. He was taller, way taller, but without his cane, standing was rather difficult for him. “DO IT!”

She was pleading behind the anger.

“You are my child, and I love you the same way I love your siblings.”

She pushed him away. “You are a coward. You don’t have what it takes to erase me from your path. I’m your greatest mistake, and yet, you are incapable of doing what I was too much of a coward to do eighteen years ago.” G.I whoever lowered his gun, calm. She glared at him. “I guess I am your daughter after all.”

“I love you, Juliet.” His voice made her lip quiver, her grip tightened. “I’m sorry if I never said it.”

“I waited twenty years for you to tell me this.” She was beet red, cold, her hands were sweating and her heart pounding like an engine against her ribs. “You had countless opportunities. A million chances to make things right, to have a relationship. Why now?” The exhale came out shaky. Her entire self shuddered.

“You are my daughter, Juliet. That means I have to protect you, shelter you.” For the first time in her entire life, saw something more than apathy in her father's eyes. “Love you and care for more than bills.”

The tightness in her chest worsened. A vice-like grip took hostage her stomach and a relentless tremor subjugate her hands. “I waited twenty years for a word of love,” she sniffed, trying to contain the rogue tears. “Something that proved me you loved me. Something that made me feel less like a mistake; like there was something wrong with me. And now—” a sob wrecked her voice, a violent tremble of her body almost made her knees give up. “Now that I finally made peace with your indifference and apathy, you come here and… God—”

Juliet looked up, searching for something, a signal. He sighed. Her eyes were back on him and there it was; soft and sad brown.

“What I did to you—” His hands closed around her wrist, and for the first time in— ever, she realized, her father touched her. It was warm and gentle. She shivered. “About your grandfather-” She felt her chest tighten, spiralling again. “I wanted to hurt you.”

She choked at his words. Her chest hoisted, the air was thin. “Why?”

“Because you are everything.” She felt torn, her body finally gave but she didn’t fall, he was there, and he caught her. “You are everything and you are easy to love, and father loved you and so does Leopold. They are good men who you looked up to, and seek advice and loved so much, so carefree. I wanted you. you are my child, not theirs.”

“I was so mad at you,” Whispered in a breathe, her voice was almost lost. She hid from the world in his arms. It hurt. “I wanted to hate you; I yearned for the ability to loathe you the same way I hated everything else.” He towered over her, as always, making her feel small and fragile, a child. “But I also wanted for you to love me.” She looked up to him and saw herself in his features, the nose and chin, the blonde hair and his ears.

«She got the Higgins’ ears. God Albert, what did you do?” He grandmother uttered in awe the first time they met.

“Why did you never loved me?”

“I never knew how to love you.”

It was too much, too fast. Her chest hurt, she felt like her ribs had collapsed over themselves, and she could not breathe. The coughing fit came next and she realized, she was not breathing, she couldn't expand her chest. Every time she tried it pained her. Taking two steps back, away from him. From his new-found warm and the nauseating but familiar aroma. Bent over herself trying to catch the air she was missing. Failed in the attempt.

“Juliet?”

He touched her shoulder, that set something in motion. She recoiled back at his touch because it burned her, his presence was acid to her, his voice, the way he looked at her.

“Don’t touch me… I can’t— I c-an’t.”

She ran.

Stumbling out of the condominium; into the underground car park. The Range Rover was waiting for her but she couldn't reach it. The walls were closing down on her, the world was fading to black, or more like crumbling. Her chest was burning, she was underwater; it was too much, too soon, too fast. She fell on her knees, but not caring about scrapes in her hands; not when she couldn’t breathe. It was as if the air was not there, it was impossible.

“Higgins.” She heard her name from afar. The voice melted away into the crashing waves of pain and confusion; couldn’t recognize it. “JULIET.”

It was the last thing she heard before the world turned to dark.

* * *

Gordon had felt a lot of anguish in her life for a lot of reasons. Divorce, custody over his son, work-related problems, and those with his family. When he lost his sister, he felt as if a part of his heart was vacant, tore out. Until he met Juliet Higgins. She reminds him so much of his sister, they had the same temper and were as brave. Nobody will ever replace his sister, but Juliet was the closest he had to a similar relationship. He has seen her in a lot of moments in the past two and a half years. Taking down men doubling her size, scolding Magnum for his stupidity, had even seen her hurt. But has never seen her so bad, so ill. He saw her in the distance, she looked fine, until she wasn’t. She plummeted to the floor and she didn’t get up.

For a moment he thought himself crazy, Juliet Higgins was as resilient as they came; she was not to be ill, she was not. But she was human too, he remembered; Richard Dane. Thomas Magnum.

He ran to her and skid to his side. Turning her off of her chest and onto her back, saw her blue lips, her fingertips were the same colour. His heart stopped. Either there wasn’t or it was faint, but he couldn’t find her pulse. Mishandling his cellphone, rushing to put in speaker and tossing it to the side, starting CPR.

_“911, what’s your emergency?”_

Gordon Katsumoto was, a very patient, man; _he did_ work with Thomas Magnum. But the situation he was in defied his patience. Juliet crashed two times in the ambulance, another while wheeled into the ER. The doctor put her through and he hasn’t heard about her. He called Magnum, and the PI said he was on his way. Proceed then to call Rick and T.C, who arrived minutes after him and were at the cafeteria. Kumu got caught in a meeting with a sponsor at the community centre, so she would be taking a little more time to arrive. Gordon hated delivering bad news, even more so to his close friends.

“Gordon,” Magnum stormed through the doors, he never looked so... _terrified_ , that was the word, terrified. “Where is she?”

“She’s inside. Nobody has done much as looked at me since they rushed her inside forty minutes ago.” Katsumoto grumbled.

Magnum looked around, wild eyes, frantic. This until his eyes caught the nurse posted at the reception. “Excuse me, miss, forty minutes ago they brought a woman here, her name is Juliet Higgins.” The middle-aged woman didn’t spare Thomas as much as a glance.

“Are you a relative?” The redhead asked with a dismissive tone, again, not even parting her eyes from the computer’s screen.

“I’m Thomas Magnum, his medical proxy.”

At those words, Gordon wasn't surprised they were Magnum and Higgins after al.

“The doctor would inform you shortly, please take a seat and wait.”

He wanted to say something at the woman’s indifference. Also saw Magnum’s face contort in anger, a sight so rare that was easy to identify in him. But Rick and T.C strolled into the room. Anger disseminated into the same fearful expression previous to interacting with the nurse. He was descending into madness, Gordon was sure.

“Hey, Thomas, you’re here,” Rick exclaimed while handing Gordon his coffee.

They greet each other with a hug, but he could see Magnum’s eyes wander back to the ER entrance.

“She’s going to be okay,” T. C's voice was sure, strong; his eyebrows creased, meanwhile, Rick nodded in agreement.

“This is Higgy we are talking about, she’s one of the bravest and strongest person we know man. She’ll pull through, she always does.”

That was what he has been telling himself. Gordon needed to believe Rick, but they didn’t saw her, she looked so… lifeless. There was no trace of the woman he saw a few weeks ago pummelling a man double her size a few days before that. He saw her plummeting towards the hard concrete.

And after seeing Magnum's state. He believed to be for the best; he would have gone downright mad.

Magnum turned to him, he looked so pained, broken. “What happened, Gordon?”

“I was collecting a statement from a witness. It seemed she was visiting the same condo my victim lives in.” Magnum was now frowning, it was his ‘I know something that you don’t face’ if he knew one. “She was walking across the parking garage, I called her, she stumbled and the next thing I know she’s in the floor. Unresponsive. She crashed two times in the ambulance and once more entering in the ER.”

“A heart attack?” T.C offered, Thomas shocked his head.

“No, Higgins is the healthiest person I know; she has monthly check-ups and is in peak physical form. I would have known if she had any cardiac condition.” He was so sure of himself that no doubt left.

Any other idea got discarded when a doctor walked into the ER, their attention snapped to the man. “Relatives to one Juliet Higgins.”

They were already surrounding the doctor. The man looked startled at the towering from, well, them.

“Are you all related to Juliet Higgins?” Inquired again, his brow furrowed.

“I’m his medical proxy.” Thomas chimed in.

“And the rest....” The man trailed, giving them a pointing look.

“Concerned friends, close friends.” Rick retorted.

“It’s okay,” Magnum said, “they can stay.”

“Well then.” The man looked down to the chart in hand and breathed. “Mrs Higgins' state is delicate. She has a condition we know as status asthmaticus, a severe acute form of an asthma attack. We don’t know for how long she has been suffering from it, or what triggered, but the consequences of it were grave. We presume she has been very well into at least half an hour, could have been longer. The symptoms worsened with time and I dare and guess, Mrs Higgins didn’t receive the proper care.” The doctor’s voice was accusative.

“Juliet is not asthmatic.” Magnum’s response was immediate, cutting.

“Well, the respiratory and cardiac arrests says otherwise, young man. Your wife is very lucky to be alive.” Magnum didn’t even flinch. “She’s at the ICU. Right now, she can’t breathe on her own and her blood isn’t receiving enough oxygen, so a ventilator is helping her." Magnum nodded, grave expression in place. "Mrs Higgins will remain intubated and sedated until her condition changes.”

Gordon mussed on the idea of changing conditions. He wondered what kind of changes, and if they were ready for them. He hoped for the better because he wouldn’t want to know what the worse could do to them.


	2. You Were To Far Away To See The Fallout

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year to every soul who is still reading the ramblings of another hopeless Miggy fan, I hope you like this new instalment, way delayed to the intended date btw. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys and remembers, hopes, dreams, suggestions and questions are always welcome

The window allowed a clear view of the unit. One of the nurses was meticulous checking the thousand plus one wire and machines, which seamless, kept Juliet Higgins alive and Thomas Magnum's heart from breaking into a million pieces. The steady sound of the heart monitor and the quiet 'swoosh' made by the ventilator was the only thing keeping him from storming out of the hospital to hunt down whoever hurt her in such a manner. Kumu was back at the estate, making sure everything was running the correct way, to inform the rest of the employees about the delicate situation and, of course, feed the hell hounds. Gordon went to the station, but made a point letting him know he was coming back; meanwhile, Rick and T.C went to fetch Shammy, someone has to break the news to the guy who was none the wiser in his therapy. He was left behind guarding Juliet's dreams; the doctor said there was not much they could do but let her recover at her own pace.

_ «She's a healthy young woman,»  _ the man told them.  _ «it's more probable than not she will make a full recovery.» _

And he wanted to believe the man,  _ he wanted to _ , but the view of her fierce partner, lying on a bed, hooked up to a  _ breathing machine _ , was horrifying. 

"Is there any changes?" Gordon was standing by his side now, dressed with the same blue gown and head cover he was forced to wear only to be allowed standing  _ outside  _ Juliet's quarters.

"No, they said it could take time."

"She's going to pull through," the detective mumbled, his usually stern face was soft on the way the wrinkle around his eyes were barely there. "She is a fighter."

"She's just human, though."  _ He learned it the hard way. _

Gordon hummed.  _ " _ An exceptional human."

"The best of us."

Shammy was wheeling like a mad man when they got to the hospital. He was moving with erratic velocity trying to pass through the sea of people.

"I don't understand why no one called me." The man grumbled.

"Because we didn't have much to say," Rick explained for the nth time. "The doctors weren't spilling."

T.C hummed in agreement. "As soon as we had the beans, we ran to ya." Patted his shoulder. Shammy sighed, his shoulders sagged.

"I know, it's just—" They stopped to wait for the elevator; Shammy turned, brows creased and lips pursed. "This is Juliet we are talking about."

"We know man. Believe us."

"How's Thomas?"

T.C and Rick looked at each other, looking for a description of Thoma's estate; there wasn't.

"Terrified," Rick lamented.

The elevator arrived; and before entering, Shammy looked up at the image of the sacred heart hanging at the end of the hall.

"God, help us all."

The group met outside the ICU; the mismatched brood was a sight not so uncommon in the Intensive Care Unit. Fallen shoulders, watery eyes and some hard lines. One of the nurses passed by giving them a pitiful look.

"We need to figure out what happened," Gordon spoke first. Thomas nodded; still, his eyes never left the door of the unit.

"I think you should go," Kumu addressed them with pointing looks.

"She's right," Shammy spoke up. "We can stay and stand guard."

Thomas shook his head, frantic. "No, I'm not abandoning her."

"You wouldn't be abandoning her, T.M." T.C's big hand patted his back, reassuring. "We are going to find who provoked this, rain the fear of God upon them and come back."

"Kumu and I are going to stay here and are not going to move until you come back." Thomas looked at Shammy and Kumu apprehensive, the idea of leaving Juliet was painful.

"You need to be by his side, but I think we could use you for this." Katsumoto prodded. "I know you know something."

"She talked about a man," he mumbled, "the one who helped solve her problem with immigration."

Katsumoto's stand straightened, his jaw set just as his shoulders. "What did she said?"

"Not much," Magnum shrugged. "She mentioned not trusting him."

"I think we can work with that." 

Rick couldn't avoid the whistle that left him when they stood in front of the condominium in the Kahala area; they arrived following Katasumoto, who rode with Magnum in a deafening silence. Not even the radio was enough to make the commute less dreadful. They entered the place to face the reception, which guarded by a receptionist and a security guard. The man lightened at the detective's sight but gave an uncomfortable look-over to his companion. The guy went into a stream of empty platitudes that Magnum zoomed out; meantime, his eyes wandered, taking in the place.  _ Opulent  _ was the only word he could think of when he stared at the marble and expensive woods and metals around.

"I'm so sorry detective, but the privacy of our residents is of utmost—" Magnum growled lowly at the chatter coming from the concierge. 

Crossing the remaining distance, he all but invade the poor guy's personal space; he had no fault but was the unsuspecting soul in the middle of his way. The closeness was perhaps uncomfortable, but the feeling was replaced by one of dread of the P.I, who received a stern warning from his friends. His nose flared and his intake of air, but his eyes still a striking shade of darkness. 

"A woman is at the hospital fighting for her life," his growl made the security guard shift, stopped when Katsumoto pulled his jacket, gun and badge on display. Fishing for his wallet, he showed a picture; was of Juliet laughing in one of their Sunday barbeques. "She's my best friend, and someone hurt her here."

Rest assured, the man was quivering in fear at the low, threatening tone. "I see what I can do." 

It turned out, Juliet was visiting someone in the upper level, in the  _ last floor,  _ the Penthouse. The place was registered to one Leopold Musgrave; it was a recent purchase and used on and off for the past two months. The same amount of time Juliet has been acting odd, secretive. 

"The o-only thing I could-d do is announce you."

Gordon grumbled an affirmative. In two minutes they were climbing the elevator, away from the lobby and into unknown territory. What will they find? It was the question hanging in the silence of the metal box. Who had the fierce Queen in such a state? The white knight asked himself; she was so brave and resilient, there wasn't much in the world that could tear her down, or so he thought. Stepping into the foyer, they were received by a man as big as T.C, a contention wall, Magnum mussed. With haircut close to the scalp and his face a shade of red, probably due to the Hawaiin heat and his unpractical clothing; the man nodded at them eyes froze in Katsumoto. The Intention of asking Gordon to surrender his gun linger. Gordon arched his brow and showed his badge with his chest puffed and arms like jars in his hips.

"The duke is waiting for you." 

Thomas didn't know what to make out of the situation; first, there was the fact they were walking in blindness towards this so-called Duke. His mind was also running wild, in success, driving him crazy. Walking into the climatized living room, they found themselves surrounded by walls of glass and the majestic three hundred and sixty-degree view of the pacific and the grandeur of the island of Hawaii. Sitting in a pristine white sofa, a middle-age looking every bit of grand as the living room, all white and steel. Of a receding blonde mane and striking green, which he swear, saw only once before; seizing the security posted in every corner, watching their guard attentive like hawks. Made Thomas ask about this character, a man surrounded by an energy which only belonged to those who had the world at his feet.

"I am quite curious as to why you are all here." « _ Brit»  _ His stomach bottomed and stirred. « _ Something was not right.» _

Gordon took a step forward. "My name is—"

"Detective Gordon Katsumoto, yes, I know who you are." Waved his hand bored. "I know who all of you are."

"But we don't know who are you." Found himself answering. "We do know Juliet Higgins came out of this apartment, and seconds later collapsed in the parking lot and is now in ICU."

A flicker of  _ something  _ passed his impassive features, his eyes went from green to  _ brown;  _ Magnum shivered.

"It doesn't matter who I am or what Juliet was doing here." His eyes drifted to the man who received them, who nodded and walked away. "You are welcome to see yourselves out." 

Something snapped inside him because everything went into a frenzy. He lunged at the man, hands at the lapels of his expensive-looking guayabera, finding nothing more than icy blue in his eyes. The guards had their guns trained on him but Rick, T.C and Gordon did too, so it was three on three. The Duke stared down at him, even though he  _ was under him.  _

In a rumble, the words came from his chest. "You are going to tell me who the fuck are you and what you did to Juliet." 

"I will do no such thing."

"Look you sick fucker—"

"What in the bloody name of Mary is going on in here!?" 

The first thing he lied eye upon were shoes, expensive leather shoes; next, designer suit, on expensive at that; and last, familial features. In front of him was standing the same poor soul from yesterday at the bar on Hilton;  _ Jonathan,  _ he remembered. Magnum was sure, those two were related, the similarities were uncanny. Same eyes, chin and ears. 

"Thomas?" Jonathan recognized him; but was brief, since his attention flew back to the Duke. "Father, what in the name of the lord is going on in here?"

"Why Jonathan, I don't know, you tell me."  _ Father  _ bite back in a way that sounded much too like—  _ NO!  _ "This fine gentleman is one of  _ Juliet's friends."  _ The Duke all but spat the last bit. Jonathan's eyes shifted to him, wide, mouth agape.

"You are Juliet's business partner?" 

Thomas' grip loosened at the croaked question. "Yes, she was the partner I told you about. Do you know her?" 

His adam's apple bobbed at the dry gulp, almost audible to the room. "She was the sister I was telling you about." 

He looked down at the man he had pinned on the sofa; his golden hair and mysterious eyes, glaring at him in blue have only seen before in Juliet Higgins. A blue he thought was Juliet blue, now its turn was  _ Higgins blue.  _ The man pinned under him was the same man Juliet told him she didn't trust, he figured, their presence was not a coincidence; she was talking about her  _ father. _

"Thomas, I will ask you nicely to let go of my father so we can talk like civilized people." 

"This half breed hardly can be a civilized person," the man under him spat and Magnum freeze. 

"Father!"

"You piece of—" Rick's expletive fell short when Magnum left him took his hands off as if he was on fire.

"Your sister is at the hospital," his words flat. "She's at the ICU, the doctor told us was something related to asthma. I didn't know she had asthma."

The Duke scoffed. "Of course you didn't, you don't know her at all."

"Father. Do put a sock on it, will you." The man grumbled. He was  _ her.  _ "She technically isn't," explained a little more measured. "Hasn't had an attack since she was fifteen years old."

"Emotional stress can cause asthma attacks." Katsumoto's words rang in his ears.  _ Emotional stress. Asshole father  _ and  _ idiot partner. _

"You're coming with us to the hospital." Turning towards the Duke; his hatred for the man grew at the indifference at the news of his daughter. " You are to take your fucking bigot ass out of this island."

"You fucking vagrant won't tell me—"

"FATHER!" His eyes, once green, now were fiery blue,  _ Higgins blue.  _ "This man is your daughter's friend, you are to keep your foul word to yourself and so as he says. Leave the island before Juliet is out of the ICU because the moment she hears about this hell is to rain upon you."

A  _ flicker  _ of something crossed his face; fear, Thomas realized, he was  _ afraid  _ of Juliet. And he wondered what kind of twisted relationship brewed between Juliet and her father. His gut stirred with  _ dread,  _ perhaps preparing itself for whichever storey lied before the play of fears between daughter and father.

"I will like you to come with me." Jonathan's diplomacy lacked the no-nonsense attitude of his sister; however, the way he carried himself with poise and control, was all Juliet. "I want to meet you, I think I owe it to her."

Magnum's suspicious was this man owed much more than a talk.

The ride over to the hospital had tints of awkwardness, they didn't do much talking, not for the lack of trying.

"How is she?"

"How do you think?"

"She's been through worse."

"You have no idea."

And that was it until they made it to the hospital and directed Jonathan to the doctor who had Juliet as his charge. The two of them had a lengthy conversation: Apparently, Juliet's asthma was a result of an acute case of pneumonia acquired when she was nine years old, she had a few emergency trips, and all after either allergen or stress-induced attacks; Jonathan seemed knowledgeable about Juliet's medical history up until she was sixteen, later on, he was out of depth. Magnum realizes, it was the age Juliet started training with the MI6, or so he thought.

"I'm in debt with all of you," he addressed them after finishing his talk with the doctor. "Juliet is most precious to me."

"You should go," Thomas spoke at last. "You and your father both."

"Thomas—"

"I like you, Jonathan, you seem like an alright guy," his words were less a bite, more stern. "But she doesn't trust neither your father nor you; I have a feeling she won't appreciate your presence here, and as you said, if you don't want hellfire raining over you, you better go. I tell her you were here, your motive; and it will be  _ her  _ decision only."

Solemnly, he nodded, like the perfect gentleman Magnum suspected he was. "I understand and respect your opinion. I'll make sure not to be in the vicinity when she wakes up, neither will be my father, however." He cleared his throat and tugged at his tie and the bottom of his collar, "do speak to her, I would really appreciate it."

When his silhouette got lost in the distance, his presence remained. Jonathan Higgins was the spitting image of his sister, from the changing eyes to the mannerism in which their hands moved. He was the oldest, he remembered, and Juliet; witty, independent and brave Juliet was a someone else's little sister,  _ «second youngest» _ . 

"I feel sorry for him," Kumu broke the silence first. "He cares."

"Yeah, it looks like it," Rick answered ruminating.

"He seems like a good guy, but he hurt her, badly." Eyes set on him, all of them curious about their resident mystery. "How? I have yet to find, but he told me so himself."

"I feel like this is just gettin' started," T.C added, lips pursed and frown in place.

"Yeah," Gordon grumbled, "God helps us all if that's the case."

They were going to need it more than ever.

The ache she felt in her waking was a familiar one; the something jostled down her throat, and the itching craves to put it out,  _ she was intubated _ , realized. It wasn't the first time, the first time was so long ago the feeling almost passed as new, but it wasn't. She knew better not to pull, push, or move, it was  _ jarring _ , having a tube inserted, supposed to help the breathing, but instead made her airways constricted. Juliet reached the pulse monitor clamped around her right index finger, fumbling enough to misplace it. Proceeding equally with one of the electrodes attached to her chest, provoking the crash of the monitors. Less than a minute later; a doctor and two nurses wearing the distinctive suits reserved for the ICU, hauled the crash cart into her room, ready for reanimation. Instead, they found a wide-awake Juliet, who even waved at them in the middle of her stupor.

"I think we ain't gonna need this," Doctor Stephen Pelkowitz sighed at his patient's shenanigans. 

The nurses backtracked with the cart, leaving the doctor behind.

"Well," he walked to the bedside, putting his stethoscope on. "At least we now your motor skills are mighty fine, aren't they darlin'?" Juliet just stared at him. "Okay, blink once if you understand me, twice if you don't."

_ One blink. _

"Good." Taking now the stethoscope, he checked fluids and pupil response to light. "You seem just alright, darling. Do you know how you came to be trapped here with little ol' me?"

_ Two blinks. _

_ " _ Well, darlin'; you had a status asthmaticus, any clue what's that?" 

_ One blink.  _ Face said something along the lines of:  _ «I'm not that confused.» _

The man chuckles even had that tint of the south. "Very well, so; one detective Katsumoto brought you in, Juliet. That's your name, very fitting for a fine lady like you."

She rolled her eyes, doctor Pelkowitz saw a hint of a smile. "Fine, you  _ do  _ know your name, that's alright. What about the detective's, do you recognize it."

_ Kat-su-moto. Katsumoto. Detective.  _ **_ Gordon _ ** !  _ One blink. _

"Good, darlin', you're doin' fine. What about that handsome husband of yours? Mmh? What about 'im? Thomas." 

_ Tho-mas. Hus-band. Thomas. Husband.  _

Soft chocolate eyes and a devilish smirk flashed in her mind. She felt giddy and mushy.  _ Thomas Magnum. Partner.  _ **_ Not her husband _ ** !  _ One blink.  _

"Good, that is amazing darlin'." 

The older man was gentle in his prodding, very respectful too, and his southern drawl made his words sound so calm, soothing even. They went over basic things to make sure her memory and motor skills weren't compromised. She was going to be alright, doctor Pelkowitz said so, and she believed him. No apparent brain damage and her heart was beating strong and steady; however, her lungs were another story.  _ «They are a little bit tire, they need more rest before you get them on the road again.»  _ Or so the doctor said.

Visits were to enter and a few minutes, and she was sure she wasn't looking her usual sharp self; her coma lasted three days, or so they said, it felt much less time, but what did she know? In the end of the day, she was the one  _ under.  _ One of the nurses was kind enough to fetch her a note pad, now thee established her motor skills were  _ fine thank you very much,  _ she was communicating through writing. The first face, (and what it was going to be the only one until  _ the damn tube came out) _ , was Thomas, the person they thought was  _ her husband _ , how bizarre was that? He was looking  _ not so sharp  _ himself.

"Hey, Higgy."


	3. If You Ever Really Wanted Me, You Should've Fought For Me (You Should've Died For Me)

**_I._ **

Juliet was not accustomed to inactivity, since she was a little girl, found an outlet for her pent up energy in one of the many activities he mother, and later father had her in. Juliet always had a way to discharge her frustration and choaked anger, it was the only way, _(the most effective)_ , in which she did not end up driving her mother insane with her bouncing, or so Leo said; later on, beating the lights out of someone. From horseback riding to ballet, martial arts, fencing, golf, tennis or lacrosse. She was always in motion. That was until her body gave up on her three weeks prior, rendering in a coma for three days and leaving her at the ICU for four more days, then at the hospital for an additional week.

The doctor recommended at least five weeks of rest and, this only to start easing into her usual exercise routine. Went from being in peak physical condition to almost dying trying to climb the stairs to her bedroom. Needless to say, she was _pissed._ Her need to slap her father around was _overwhelming,_ she realized; but first, she needed to rest. And Magnum was taking the matter of her recovery in his hands. Always in her periphery, abandoning his space at the guest house, and moving to the room next to hers. The rest of her friends were cautious too: Kumu, in her infinite maternal love would leave healthy meals prepared for her, always making sure she was plenty covered against the cold wind, to not exert herself and never skipping her medicine to control her allergic rhinitis, which had almost disappear, until asthma kicked again. Rick and T.C made sure her alimentary need was met to a T, making sure balsam of Peru did not make it to her vicinity; also the hypoallergenic mattress and pillows? Those were from them. She was grateful for all the care, but they were driving her insane; making her feel like little, defenceless and sickly Juliet. And she hated it, to feel like her again, the nine years old little girl she thought was long-gone, was there, taunting her. Which made her resolute to regain that strength back; something that, so far, was not working out for her. She was gripping to the boxing bag, latched to her inhaler, trying to not asphyxiate. Sweat was dripping from her forehead down to the wooden floor of the main house gym. She was trying (and failing) to emulate the exercise Leopold had her doing to regain her lung capability; the first step was just bouncing and hitting the boxing back, taking deep breaths. She remembered being _hard,_ mentally and physically exhausting, so much, she ended crying, which extended to the better part of the first month. Undergoing the same experience without Leo by her side was _ruthless,_ borderline torture; like swimming against the current with a gunshot wound in her arm and all alone. 

"You are decided to kill yourself, aren't you?" Thomas leaned against the doorframe, shooking his head.

"Leave me alone, Magnum." Huffed when her vision blurred, missing the returning bag.

"Higgy—" 

"Don't call me that," bite the blonde back. "That's not me."

She was compromised, that's why she noticed him walking towards her, neither when he rested his hand on her shoulder. She wasn't in Hawaii, not by chance, she realized; London's air was dry and cold, biting her skin without clemency. She was standing in the front garden of Barnard Keep, and she was barely ten, holding her 7 iron and practising her swing, and Brahms played softly in her walkman. She drove back the club, and _swink!_ The ball lifted over the tree line and joined the sea of white dots in the distance. _«One more,»_ mused to herself, but that was before the searing hit against her cheek; the assault was so hard, so painful. The headphones stumbled from her head to the floor the same time she did. Carlisle hovered over her, golden hair against the glooming light of the sun, his green eyes blazing with fury.

 _«You answer when I call, bastard."_ His fist raised and landed against her face, in that moment, blackness swallowed her all. 

_**II.** _

When she woke up, the only thing accompanying her was the pungent odour of chlorine and soft blue light. She tried to go up, but hardness trumped her attempts, something was hovering over her head. It was _cold,_ freezing cold.

 _«Help!»_ Her voice tried to surface, but was useless; her throat was pained, her brain pounded against her skull and, her lungs weren't working; _she wasn't working. She was to die there. Alone. Cold._

_**III.** _

She woke up gasping for air, trying not to sink in the muddy waters of memory. A sob escaped her when the only thing surrounding her was darkness and silence; something snaked around her leg, making her heart pound and a shiver run down her spine. She tried to kick it off, using her arms to move her body, trying to escape, she ended up screaming when she saw him hovering at the edge of her bed, his eyes were milky white and, the skin was greyish. A trail of water left behind every inch he moved closer, crawling towards her, a bullet hole front centre in his forehead.

 _"You did this to me,"_ he seethed; cold, wet hands, caressing her cheek. _"You killed me. It was your fault, you weren't there."_

_Juliet_

_Juliet_

_JULIET!_

_**IV.** _

When she woke up, the room was washed by the glow of the Hawaiian sun, soft that afternoon, warming the chilly air of November. She flew out of bed and into safe, warm arms; his heartbeat loudly against his chest and, his skin tanned like cinnamon. Her head buried in his neck, a gutwrenching whimper escaped her when he said her name. « _Juliet.»_

"It's okay," his hands ran in between her locks. "You're safe, you're home," murmured, soft lips pressing in her head.

"I don't want to go," pleaded, clinging to his frame like a lifeline. "Don't make me leave, please."

"I would never. I won't ever."

His scent was like sea and sunshine, strong wood and leather: _he smelled like home._

After what it seemed hours, he convinced her to take a bath. She was still in her gym clothes and was coated in sweat.

"I won't leave the room," promised, "I'll be here, changing your sheets, okay?" She nodded, squeezing tight her bathrobe.

When she goes out, clad in a knitted pullover and cotton pants, she couldn't avoid but feel fragile; brittle, seconds away from braking under his careful and soft attention. He was seated on the bed, and as he said, the sheets were fresh and so appealing, but he could read her like an open book, she discovered. Pulling her, she fell on his lap, it was so _foreign_ , but familiar at the same time as if she was made to be curled, he wrapped around her, shielding her from the ruthless world. She buried herself in his embrace like she never did with anyone else; he was her heaven, like a balm to her soul, Thomas Magnum held her without prying, and she was grateful and ashamed on her weakness. Because Higgy was strong and independent, while Juliet was weak and clingy, and she hated it.

And as if he could read her mind, _her heart._ "You are the strongest person I've ever met." Whispered in her hair.

"I'm curled in your lap like a toddler," mumbled, still buried in his neck. "How can you say that."

"Because _you're here,_ " his strangled voice made her tear apart. Tears were running down his cheeks.

She sighed, not mad; because she knew _he knew._ He read her grandfather's letter, but it was him, and she couldn't be mad at him because she didn't have the strength and because Thomas Magnum had the purest heart in the world and he was not Albert Higgins. 

"I didn't want to," he murmured, now he was buried in her neck. "I'm so sorry." Whimpered.

 _Sorry._ Albert had never apologized. 

"I repented. I would never..." Her words choked at his heartbroken face.

"I'm gonna kill them. I want to, for everything." 

He kissed the tears away from her cheeks, she shuddered at the contact. "Don't say that. You aren't capable. You're a good man." 

"I would, for you. I'll die for you. A thousand times."

"I'm not worth it, Thomas. I'm not."

Holding her closer, more than was humanly possible, Thomas' forehead rested against hers. "You're worth everything. You're everything, _my everything._ Never forget that."

 _She has never been anyone's everything. It felt good,_ more than, she acknowledged, lulled into peaceful slumber by the warmth of Magnum's body.

"Tell them to come," she muttered, half asleep.

"Who?"

"Ohana. I need to talk with them."

"Okay, but later."

"Later."

_**V.** _

All of them surrounded the pit in comfortable silence, the sun already had set, pushing the moon to enlight the Hawaiian night sky on a clear and fresh night. Magnum's call was unsettling since Thomas was rarely one to be consequential and so grave. It turned, the summoning came from Higgins, and Gordon had a suspicion.

"Look who woke up." Thomas was walking towards them with Juliet in tow. The detective never, in the three and a half years they have to know each other, seen Juliet Higgins look so frail and _small._

"Hey there." T.C greeted first, earning a small, but sincere smile from the majordomo.

"Thanks all for coming."

Kumu clicked her tongue, smiling towards the woman with the warm of a mother. "We are family, you don't have to thank us." 

"She's right," Shammy acquiesce. "We are always here for you."

If someone else noticed the closeness between Magnum and Higgins, no one commented; they were, in the end of the day, Magnum and Higgins.

"I know you must have a lot of questions about everything that's been happening lately." Started quietly.

"You don't have to tell us anything, Jules," Rick reassured her.

"I know," she nodded, fidgeting with Magnum's hand. "But I want to. I'm tired of my father dangling this over my head."

"At your own pace."

Nodding, she glanced back at Thomas, who pulled her closer to him. "My father is a married man, but not to my mother. I'm the byproduct of an affair," shuddered. "I'm the bastard daughter to my father, the duke of Portland and Cleveland," sneered the titles, "Albert Jonathan Louis Higgins. He's still married to his first wife, and they had four kids before my father had me. My oldest brother, Jonathan, whom you all already met. Carlisle and Amalia, fraternal twins, five years younger than Jonathan. Then there's Conrad, three years younger than the twins; I'm next, two years younger than Conrad. And then is my youngest sister, she's..." Juliet gulped, she was trembling. "She's the light of my life, Cassandra. The only one of my siblings who ever loved me unconditionally."

Gordon knew a lot about siblings and, with knowledge about unconditional love asked himself; how someone could not love their siblings without questions. "My father and his wife made an arrangement with my mom. No one would ever know about my existence, and, in exchange, I would never care for anything. Best education, clothes, physicians; everything money could buy, but never a father. And for the first seven years of my life, I was raised by my mother and godfather, my father's best friend and right-hand man."

"Leopold." Kumu intervined.

Juliet smile. "Yes, Leo. I was a healthy, happy girl. I wasn't Juliet Higgins. I was Juliet Ramsay; my friends called me Lou, because of my middle name, Louise. No one knew who I was. Until they did. " Her face darkened and shoulders tensed, a shiver ran down Gordon's spine. "One day, after school, I was waiting for Leo. He was supposed to take me to archery lessons after class. My best friend, Madelaine and I were waiting outside when a horde of photographers attacked us. I had my first panic attack that day." « _She was seven,»_ he seethed, « _seven.» "_ The next thing I knew, this man calling himself my father stormed into my life, forcing me out of my school into a fucking boarding school in Switzerland with people who hated me and I hated back. I learned that also, had siblings, four of them, older, bigger, _stronger."_ Tears, he noticed, fell in the sleeves of her oversize sweater. "Carlisle, Amalia and Conrad detest me with a unique brand of hate. I was the bastard, there to sully the honourable name of their family. _«She's the daughter of a whore,»_ those were the first words I heard from my sister. My life onwards was a living hell, it became worse when my mother fell ill three years later, they discovered a tumour in her brain, inoperable, and the treatment proved fruitless. It triggered her dementia and, she was declared unable to care for me; I was under the sole custody of a father who ignored me, a stepmother who wasn't neither cold nor hot and three siblings who hated my guts."

"What about Jonathan?" T.C inquired softly, a smile appeared.

"He was my hero, my knight in shining armour. The best big brother in the entire world; he and his girlfriend, now wife, Gabrielle, loved me. He, Leo and my grandpapa were my only family, the only worth it. But it wasn't enough, because I grew angry and bitter every day. Towards my father, who's selfishness knows no bounds and deprived me of my maternal family prohibiting from going back to Wales and visit them. Who ignored an acknowledge my presence only to reprove my behaviour. Grew against my siblings and their abuse; forcing me to fight back. The only highlight of my life was my little sister, who was born a few months after I was retired from my mother's custody, she was born the same day I did, so she was the best birthday present ever."

"What about your grandfather?" Thomas nudged her.

"Jonathan Qualey Higgins the III was the most honourable, honest, just and sweet man I've ever encountered. He loved me, cultivated my mind, thought a so much and encouraged me to find my vocation. After my mother died—" Juliet halted, fist clenched. "After Albert killed my mother, I was left in a dark place, he pulled me out, gave me a goal to fight towards. He introduced me to Malcolm Pierce; my mentor and who later became my handler. I was sixteen, angry and early graduated from one of the elites schools in the world. I was off to Cambridge to study Mathematics and Computer science, I was already proficient in martial arts, had education and was third-generation military family; my grandfather had honed me since little to that moment and, I took it."

"They don't know anything, do they?" Gordon found himself asking.

"No. I made sure of it."

"How many years since you don't talk to them?" Kumu asked.

"Seven. My father sold me to the highest bidder. One of his prospect partners saw me leaving the house once, the man got— infatuated with me, father tried to use me as bait. I send him to bugger off; I don't know to this days what he told Jonathan, but he turned on me that afternoon. Three months later, my grandfather passed, I was in Israel, in a training exercise with the SAS and the Israeli special forces. I arrived three weeks later. Richard was the one who delivered the knew, we have been dating for a few months, Cassie knew, she told him. Jonathan told me it was my fault— that I killed him and, he died hating me."

Gordon knew that, perhaps, the group of people sitting around that fire pit, has been introduced into a select group who knew the story of Juliet Higgins, not everything, not the details. He felt honoured, she was trusting them and, that was enough for him.

"You are the only family I know." She said at last.

"We love you," Thomas said quietly. "Whether you are Juliet Higgins, Ramsay, or only Juliet, we love you."

"We are ohana," Kumu's hand rested on Juliet's. "And that's forever, no matter what."

 _«Yeah,»_ Gordon acquiesce, « _forever sounds good enough.»_

**Author's Note:**

> For someone who ever wondered, I, in my twisted little head, imagine Albert Higgins like Charles Dance, Aka Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones. And Jonathan initially was depicted as Lucifer Morningstar from the Sandman, not the TV Show; but later it turned into Charlie Hunnam for some reason.


End file.
